bureau. what about the fdic? you expect any regulations? down regulations? guest: i don't know. they looked at it and they have a new report that's a very extensive report they just put out last week. they have also had model accounts that might be a great option for some commuters to look into -- consumers. they are low fees with no overdraft. they try to make them as transparent and understandable as possible. there's 10 or 12 banks around the country offering these products. host: for low-income folks? guest: for anybody. host: i want to let our viewers know that the information they defined on your website. we have a prepaid at website aunt the other website.

>> banks to have a new website, explained that. >> and nutrition label for checking accounts, listed on the right-hand side of our website. >> state checking in the electronic age. what is next for your group? -- we will be back tomorrow morning with more of your questions, phone calls and comments. we will take your comment on twitter, facebook as well. an e-mail us tomorrow morning. 7:00 a.m. eastern. thank you for watching. enjoy the rest of your day.

the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. the clerk: the speaker's rooms, washington, d.c. september 25, 2012.

i hereby appoint the honorable steven c. latourette to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, john a. boehner, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: the prayer will be offered by the guest chaplain, the reverend patrick rifle from st. peter catholic church in washington, d.c. the chaplain: let us pray. god, our father, you guide everything in wisdom and love. you are good, forgiving, full of love to all who call upon you. we now praise you for that love and rejoice in your abundant blessings. you call us today to grow in the knowledge of that love and invite us to receive your blessing. accept the prayers we offer for our beloved nation. protect it and keep it ever in your sight. and fill this house of representatives with your holy wisdom, strengthen these representatives and their staff as they labor for what is good and just. may true harmony, lasting freedom and justice be secured

for all so that there may be lasting peace. we ask this in your most holy name. amen. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to section 3-a of house resolution 788, the journal of the last day's proceedings is approved. the pledge will be led by the gentlelady from maryland since she's the only one here. ms. edwards. ms. edwards: i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 4 of rule 1, the following enrolled bills and joint resolution were signed by speaker pro tempore lewis on monday, september 24, 2012. the clerk: h.r. 1272, h.r.

1791, h.r. 2139, h.r. 2240, h.r. 2706, h.r. 3556, h.r. 4158, hor 4223, h.r. 4347 h.r. 5512, h.r. 618 , h.r. 6215, h.r. 6375, h.r. 6431, h.r. 6433, house joint resolution 117, senate 300, senate 710. the speaker pro tempore: the chair lays before the house sundry communications. the clerk: the honorable the speaker, house of representatives, sir. pursuant to the permission granted in clause 2-h of rule 2 of the rules of the u.s. house of representatives, the clerk received the following message from the secretary of the senate on september 21, 2012 at 4:21 p.m.

appointments, public safety officer medal of valor review board, signed, sincerely, karen l. haas. the speaker pro tempore: sundry communications. the clerk: the honorable the speaker, house of representatives. sir, pursuant to the permission granted in clause 2-h of rule 2 of the rules of the u.s. high pressure system, the clerk received the following message from the secretary of the senate on september 24, 2012, at 12:26 p.m. that the senate concurs in house amendment, senate 300, senate 710. that the senate passed senate 3311, senate 3193, senate p 341, senate 3486, senate 3625, senate 3624, senate 3315, senate 1956. that the senate agreed to senate concurrent resolution 50. signed sincerely, karen l. haas.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady will state her inquiry. ms. edwards: thank you mr. speaker. i rise for the purpose of parliamentary inquiry to inquire as to whether it is not the case that during these pro forma sessions legislation may be considered by unanimous consent. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady has put forward a hypothetical upon which the chair cannot opine. ms. edwards: parliamentary inquiry. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady will state her inquirery. ms. edwards: should it not be possible to consider legislation and complete work on behalf of the american people, including middle class tax cuts which we all agree upon should be extended, jobs legislation, the violence against women act, the farm bill, and a fiscal cliff causing individuals and businesses uncertainty, for the purpose of a parliamentary inquiry, the list goes on and on, should it not be possible to consider legislation that the republican leadership has decided instead to schedule

only eight days of votes between august 3 and november 13. should it not be possible to consider legislation give the fact that the republican leadership has left town for seven weeks, the earliest congress has recessed for an election in over 50 years. mr. speaker, for the purposes of a parliamentary inquiry, the american people deserve answers and they deserve action. they deserve more than simply a pro forma session and do-nothing congress and republican obstructionism. mr. speaker, for the purposes of a parliamentary inquiry, democrats are committed to return to washington to continue the work of the people and i would ask my republican colleagues to join us. mr. speaker, is it possible for us to return to work and do the businesses of the people rather than this pro forma session? the speaker pro tempore: sadly the gentlelady has not put forward a parliamentary inquiry. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the house shall stand in recess for not more than 15 minutes.

>> and a few days in july, which together hold the largest conference of united nations -- in the united nations' history and regards to the environmental agenda. we were able to take steps toward the historic consolidation of the new paradigm. i would like to voice my special thanks to them for their commitment and for having collaborated with brazil before and during the conference. the outcome document -- by consensus, not only preserves

the 1992 earth summit legacy, but also constitutes a starting point for a sustainable agenda for the 21st century. with a focus on education and the conscientious use of natural resources and on a sustainable production. denied the nation's has had a number of tasks -- united nations has had a number of tasks -- >> we will breakaway shortly and take you back to the house. 6375, h.r. 6215, h.r. 6189, h.r. 6515, h.r. 4347, h.r. 4223, h.r. 4158, h.r. 35

56, h.r. 2706, h.r. 2240, h.r. 2139, h.r. 1791, h.r. 1272. with best wishes i am signed sincerely, karen l. haas. the honorable the speaker, house of representatives, sir. pursuant to the permission granted in clause 2-h of rule 2 of the rules of the u.s. house of representatives, the clerk received the following message from the secretary of the senate on september 24, 2012, at 12:26 p.m. that the senate passed with an amendment h.r. 915. h.r. 2606, h.r. 4850. that the senate passed with amendments h.r. 2453, h.r. 2838, signed, sincerely, karen l. haas. the honorable the speaker,

house of representatives. sir, pursuant to the permission granted in clause 2-h of rule 2 of the rules of the u.s. house of representatives, the clerk received the following message from the secretary of the senate on september 24, 2012, at 9:13 a.m. that the senate passed senate joint resolution 41. that the senate agreed to without amendment house joint resolution 117, signed sincerely, karen l. haas. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to section 3-b of house resolution 788, the house stands adjourned until 11:00 a.m. on friday, september 28, 2012. now finishing up the section as today, they are back friday at 11:00 a.m. eastern for legislative work. there will not get back to that until after the elections. they will return on november 13.

let us take you back to the united nations. and the president of brazil is speaking. president obama up shortly. -- prosperity and social justice. we have made much progress regarding integration of latin america as a priority for our international position in. our area of the world is a good example for the world. the rule of law but we will successfully achieved by overcoming the authoritarian regime that marked a chapter in the history of our continent. the rule of law has been to strengthen -- and asset that is immune to at tax. -- and unified to attacks.

-- stood firmly whenever needed to avoid cutbacks. because integration and democracy are inseparable practices. i would like to reaffirm our commitment to keep the region free from weapons of mass destruction. i wish to call to mind that there are out of their huge arsenals that have further worsen the sanctions and have proven very harmful to peace efforts. the world calls for food, food to feed the 1 billion people, both men, women and children who suffer from the most cruel form of punishment that has stricken humankind -- hunger. in conclusion, may i refer to a brotherly country dear to all of latin america, i am talking amcuba.

cuba has made programs to update their model. and in order to pursue that task, it requires support of both close and distant partners. it requires the support of all nations, efforts were cuba's efforts has been helped by the economic embargo that has for decades chastised its population. -- one that is condemned by the vast majority of the united nations countries. we have all this year watched the olympics and para olympic games, which was so very brilliantly organized by the united kingdom. with the recent completion of the london olympics, the 2014

world cup. every two years, during the summer and winter games, human kind seems to awake for values that should permanently in speier, mainly respect for differences, equality, inclusion, friendship, principles that are also the very foundation of both human rights and this organization. as i open as the 67th general assembly of the united nations, i would like to propose to all nations in the form to allow themselves to be enlightened and inspired by the ideals of the olympic flame. ladies and gentlemen, it is extremely necessary to further strengthen the united nations in the current stage where we find

ourselves. one worthy system opens up a new outlook. we must work to ensure that the the case and that it to be so -- in the system that is currently involved. insurer that compromised solutions will always be there first and avoid a forceful intervention. may i reiterate that, as part of such an effort that is necessary collected in nature, the united nations has called upon to perform a critically and uniquely special role. to become more representative, more legitimate and therefore more effective. thank you very much. [applause]

>> on behalf of the general assembly, i wish to thank the president of the republic of brazil for the statement she just made. the assembly will hear now and address by barack obama, president of the united states of america. a request for a call to -- his recognize his excellency.

[applause] on behalf of the general assembly, i am honored to welcome to the united nations, barack obama. and to invite him to address the assembly. >> mr. president, secretary general, fellow delegates, ladies and gentlemen, i would like to begin today by telling you about an american named chris stevens. chris was born in a town called

grand valley california. the son of a lawyer and a musician. as a young man, he joined the peace corps, and taught english in morocco. he came to love and respect the people of north africa and the middle east. he would carry that commitment throughout his life. as a diplomat, he worked from egypt to syria. from saudi arabia to libya. he was known for walking the streets of the cities where he worked, meeting as many people as he could, speaking arabic, listening with a broad smile. chris went to benghazi in the early days of the libyan revolution, a riding on a cargo ship. as america's representative, we helped the libyan people.

as they cared for the wounded, and crafted a vision in which the rights of all libyans would be respected. libyans held elections and built new institutions. and began to move forward after decades of dictatorship. chris stevens loved his work. he took pride in the country he served. he saw dignity in the people that he met. two weeks ago he traveled to benghazi to review plans to establish a new cultural center and modernize a hospital. that is one of america's compound came under attack. along with three of his colleagues, chris was killed, in the city he helped save. he was 52 years old. i tell you this story because

chris stevens embodied the best of america. like his fellow foreign service officers, he build bridges across cultures and was deeply invested in the international cooperation that the united nations represents. he acted with humility but also stood up for a set of principles, a belief that individuals should be free to determine their own destiny and live with liberty. -- dignity, justice and opportunity. the attacks on civilians and benghazi were attacks on america. we are grateful for the assistance we received from the libyan government and the libyan people. there should be no doubt that we will be relentless in tracking down the killers and bringing them to justice. i also appreciate that in recent

days, the leaders of other countries have been reached, including egypt, tunisia and yemen, they have taken steps to ensure our diplomatic facilities. so of religious authorities around the globe. -- so have religious authorities around the globe. these attacks are not simply an attack on america. they are also an assault on the very ideals on which the united nations was founded. the notion that people can resolve their differences, diplomacy can take the place of war. that as an interim dependent world, all of us have a stake in working toward greater opportunity and security for ourselves. -- our citizens. if we are serious about upholding these ideals, it will not be enough to put more guards in front of an embassy or put

out statements of regret and with for the outrage to pass -- if we are serious about these ideals, we must speak honorably about the deeper causes of the crisis. because we face the choice between the forces that would drive us apart, and the hopes that we hold in common. today we must reaffirm that our future will be determined by people like chris stevens and not by his killers. today we must declare that this violence and power has no place among our united nations. this has been less than two years since the man set himself on fire in tunisia and sparked what became known as the arab spring. since then, the world has been captivated by the transformation that has taken place. and united states has supported

the forces of change. we were inspired by the tunisian protests that toppled dictator, because we recognize our own beliefs and the aspiration of men and women who took to the streets. we insisted on changing egypt, because our support for democracy ultimately put us on the side of the people. we supported the transition of leadership in yemen because the interest of the people was no longer being served by corrupt status quo. we intervened in libya alongside a broad coalition, and with the mandate of united nations security council because we have the ability to stop the slaughter of innocents. and we believe that the aspirations of people or more powerful than a tyrant. as we meet here, we again declared that the regime of the assad must come to an end to the

suffering of the syrian people can stop. we have taken these positions because we believe that freedom and self-determination are not unique to one culture. these and not simply american volumes or western values, they are universal values. and even as there will be huge challenges to come with a transition to democracy, i am convinced that ultimately this will be for the people, it will be more likely to bring about individual opportunity that serves as a basis for peace in our world. so, let us remember this is a season of progress. for the first time inecades, two nations and libyans voted for new leaders in elections for credible and fair. the democratic spirit has not been restricted to the arab world. of the past year, we have seen a

peaceful transitions and somalia. and burma their open a closed society. -- they have opened a closed society. around the globe, people are making their voices heard from insisting on their innate dignity and the right to determine their future. and yet committee tomorrow of a recent weeks reminds us that the past of democracy does not end with the casting of a ballot. nelson mandela once said, to be free is not merely the cast off once changed, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. [applause]

true democracy demands the citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they believed, and that businesses can be open without paying a bribe. and it depends on the freedom of citizens to speak their minds and assemble without fear. and on the role of law and due process, guarantees the life of all people. in other words, a true democracy, real freedom is hard work. those in power after resist the temptation to crack down. in hard economic times, countries must be tempted -- may be tempted to rally the people around enemies at home and abroad, rather than focusing on the painstaking work of reform. there will always be those that reject human progress. dictators who claim power, crept interests and depend on the status quo. -- corrupt interests and depend

on the status quo. from northern islands to south asia, from uppercut to the americas, to the pacific rim, we have witnessed compulsions that time a company transitions to a new political order. at a time, the conflicts arise along the fault lines of race, or tribe. and often may arise from the difficulties of reconciling tradition and a face with the diversity of independents of the modern world. in every country, there are those who find different religious beliefs threatening. in every culture, those who want freedom for themselves -- but do not know how much they are willing to tolerate freedom for others. that is what we saw quite out of the last two weeks.

in accrued and disgusting video that sparked outrage around the muslim world. i have made it clear that the united states government had nothing to do with this video. i believe its message must be rejected. it is an insult not only to muslims but to america as well. the city outside these walls makes clear, we are a country that welcomes everyone and every faith. we are homes to muslims. when not only -- we have laws that protect people from being harmed because of how they look or what they believe. we understand why people take offense to the video, because millions of our citizens are among them. i know if there are some -- why do not we just a ban such a video? the answer is enshrined in our

laws. our constitution protects the rights of free speech. here in the united states, countless publications promote -- like me, the majority of americans are christian, but we do not banned blasphemy against our most famous beliefs. as president of our country, and commander in chief of our military, i accept that people do awful things every day. and i will always defend their right to do so. [applause] americans have fought and died around the globe to protect the right of all people who express their views, even views. we profoundly disagree with. we do not do so because we support hateful speech, but because our congress understood

that without such productions, the capacity of each individual to express their own views and practice their own faith may be threatened. we do so because in a diverse society from ever to restrict speech can quickly become a tool to silence and oppress minorities. we do so because, given the power of faith in our lives, and passion that religious differences can in flame, the strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech. the bourse's of power that rally against bigotry and lift up the values of understanding and mutual respect. i know that not all the people freehis body share the speech. but in 2012, during a time when anyone with a cell phone can

spread offensive views around the world with a click of a button, the notion that we can control the flow of information is obsolete. and the question then is how do we respond? and on this, we must agree. there is no speech that justifies a mindless violence. -- that justifies mindless violence. there are no words that excuse this killing. there is no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant and lebanon or destroyed a school. or cause death and destruction in pakistan. in this modern world, with modern technologies, responding in that way and powers to any

individual to engage in such speech to create chaos around the world. we empower the worst of us. and that is how we respond. more broadly, the events of the last two weeks speak to the need for all of us to honestly address tensions between the west and arab world that is moving toward democracy. now, let me be clear, just as we cannot solve every problem in the road comedy nabbed states has not and will not speak to dictate the outcome of democratic transitions abroad. we do not expect other nations to agree with us on every issue. nor do we assume that the violence of the past weeks, or the hate all speech by some individuals represent the views of the overwhelming majority.

however, i do believe that it is the obligation of all leaders, in all countries to speak out forcefully against violence and extremism. [applause] it is time to marginalize those who, even when not directly resorting to violence, use hatred of america or the west, or israel, as the central organizing principle of falling. not only gives cover -- sometimes makes an excuse for those who do resort to violence. that brand of politics -- putting east against west and south against north, cannot deliver on the violence of freedom. to the youth, it offers only false hope.

burning an american flag does nothing to provide a child and education. smashing the restaurant does not fill an empty stomach. attacking an embassy will not create a single job. that brand of politics only makes it harder to achieve what we must do to gather. agitated our children and creating opportunities that they deserve. -- educating our children and creating opportunities that they deserve. understand, america will never retreat from the world. we will bring justice to those who harm our citizens and friends. we will stand with our allies. we are willing to partner with countries around the world to deepen ties with trade, science and technology, energy and development. all efforts that can spark economic growth for all our people and stabilize change. but such efforts require mutual

respect and interest. no government or company, no school or ngo will be confident working in a country in which people are in danger. four partnerships to be effective, our citizens must be secure. our efforts must be welcome. the politics -- politics based on anger and dividing the world between us and them not only setback international initiatives, it undermines all of us. let us remember that muslims have suffered the most at the hand of extremism. on the same day are some plans were killed in benghazi, a turkish police officer was murdered in istanbul only days before his wedding. others were killed in a car

bomb. seral afghan children were marred by their children just days after they were killed by a suicide bomber in kabul. the violence may initially be focused on the west, but over time, it cannot be contained. the same impulses towards extremism are used to justify war between sunni and shiites. it leads not to strengthen prosperity, but to chaos. in less than two years we have seen largely peaceful protests bring more change to majority country's -- muslim majority countries than a decade of violence. extremists understand the spirit of nothing to offer to improve the lives of people. violence is the only way to stay relevant. they do not build. they only destroy. it is time to leave violence and

division behind. we face a choice between the promise of the future or the presence of the past. and we cannot afford to get it wrong. we must seize this moment. america stands ready to work with all who are willing to embrace a better future. the future must not belong to those who target christians in egypt, but by those who chanted to muslims and christians, we are one. the future must be shipped by girls to go to school, not those who bully women. [applause] -- the future must be shaped by girls who go to school, not by those who bully women.

[applause] -- the workers and business owners who seek broader prosperity for all people. those are the women and men that america stands with. that is a division we will support. the future must not belong to the slender the process of islam. ose who slander the process of islam. [applause] --and pilgrims. it is time to heed the words of gonzi. intolerance is a form of violence. and an obstacle for the true democratic spirit. [applause]

together, we must work towards a world where we are strengthened by our differences. not defined by them. that is what america -- that is what vision we will support. the future must not belong to those who turned their backs on peace, those who reject the right of israel. the road is hard but the destination is clear. [applause] understanding that such a peace must come through a just agreement. america will walk alongside anyone who was willing to make the journey. in syria, the future must not belong to a dictator who

massacres his people. if there is a cause that cries out for protests in the world today, people protests -- the regime that tortures children. shute's rockets at apartment buildings. shoots rockets at apartment buildings. together, we must stand with those syrians who believed in a different vision. a syria that is united, inclusive. were children do not need to fear their own government. and all syrians have a say in how they are governed. that is what america stands for. that is the outcome we will work for with sanctions and consequences for those who persecute, and assistance and support for those who work for the common good. because we believe that the syrians who embrace this vision will have the strength and the legitimacy to lead.

in iran, we see repast of a violent and unaccountable ideology leads. the iranian people have an ancient history. and many wish to enjoy peace and prosperity alongside their neighbors. but just as it restricts the rights of its own people, the iranian government continues to support terrorist groups abroad. time and again, it has failed to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful. and to meet its obligations to the united nations. so let me be clear, america wants to resolve this through diplomacy. we believe there's still time and space to do so. that time is not unlimited. we respect the right of the nation's to add peaceful nuclear power.

but we need to see that we harvest that power for peace. make no mistake, nuclear arms iran is not a challenge that could be contained. it would threaten the security of nations, and the stability of a global economy. triggering a nuclear arms race and the region. that is why a coalition of countries is holding in the iranian government accountable. that is why the united states will do what we must to prevent iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. we know from painful experience that the past does not lie outside the boundaries of international law and respect for human rights. that is why this institution was established. that is why liberty came over to

irony. nations in a report of the world have travelled this difficult path -- nations in every part of the world have travelled this difficult past. from brazil to south africa, from turkey to south korea, from india to indonesia, people of different races, religions and nations have lifted millions out of poverty while respecting the rights of their citizens. and it is because of the progress that i have witnessed in my own lifetime, the progress that i have witnessed after nearly four years as president, and i remain ever hopeful about the world that we live in. the war in iraq is over. american troops have come home.

we have begun the transition in afghanistan. and we will end our war on schedule in 2014. al-qaida has been weakened. bin laden is no more. nations have come together. americawe have seen hard choices made. to put more power in the hands of citizens. and in a time of economic challenge from the world has come together to broaden prosperity. through the g20 we have partnered with emerging countries to keep the world on the path to recovery. -- and worked with african leaders to help them feed their nations. new partnerships have been formed to combat corruption, and

promote government that is open and transparent. and to ensure that women and be a part of politics. all of these things give me hope. what gives me the most hope is not the actions of us, not the actions of leaders, but the american troops who sacrificed their limbs for strangers half a world away. the students who are eager to use their knowledge to benefit mankind. the faces and the square to see democracy giving voice to their aspirations. the young people in the schools who eyes shine with promise. these men, women and children of every race and faith remind me

that for every angry mob that gets shown on television, there are billions around the world who share similar hopes and dreams. they tell us that there is a common heart beat to humanity. so much attention in our world turns to what the vice. but when you strip that all away, people long for the dignity that comes with work, the comfort that comes with faith, and the justice that exists when governments served their people and not the other way around. the united states will always stand up for these aspirations. for our own people and for people all across the world. that was our founding purpose. that is what our history shows.

that is what chris stevens worked for throughout his life. and i promise you this, long after the killers are brought to legacy, chris stevens's lega will live on in the lives he touched. and the libyans who changed their facebook photo to one of the chirs, reading -- chris was a friend to all libyans -- they should give us hope. they should remind us that so long as we work for it, justice will be done. history is on our side. a rising tide of liberty will never be reversed. thank you very much. [applause]

>> on behalf of the general -- [applause] >> on behalf of the general assembly, i wish to thank the president of united states. >> president obama speaking to the 67 the general assembly. where coverage still to come from the u.n. general assembly. to mark, a run and president and friday, leadership from libya. there will bring to the speeches and other throughout the week on c-span and online at c-span.org. and the eighth annual clinton global initiatives. president obama will address the group today beginning at 10:00 p.m. eastern. we will have his remarks live on c-span during earlier today, mitt romney addressed the group. and we will bring you those remarks later in our program

scheduled. also find them on line in our video library act c-span.org. we will have the rally at the dayton airport. >> the first presidential debate between mitt romney and president obama is next wednesday, october 3. watch and engage with c-span. starting with our debate preview at 7:00 p.m. eastern. .nd post-debate - >> and now a debate in the virginia senate race. they say it is a tossup between tim kaine and george allen. they met in an hour-long debate moderated by david gregory.

two more debates scheduled for october. >> good afternoon. welcome to the virginia senatorial debate between democrat tim kane, and republican george allen, hosted by the fairfax county chamber of commerce. i am david gregory. moderator of me to the press and today's debate. i want to begin by covering the rules of today's event. the event will last one hour and again with two opening statements from each candidate. we will pose questions directly to the candidate. the questions were determined by the panelists. i am not been received by the candidate or reviewed by the fairfax chamber. each candidate will have one minute and 30 seconds to respond. and the candidate answering first will have an additional one minute rebuttal. i would like to reserve the right to follow up with some questions as i see it as the moderator. we will conclude with a two minute closing statement from

each candidate. there's a timekeeper in the front row. i want to welcome our panelists. julie, she has been covering virginia politics for 20 years. ben, covers the conditions for the "washington post." he joins us in 2008 as a congressional blogger. and we have the anger of news 4 today. let us begin the debate by introducing the candidates and during their opening statements. the order in which the candidates will speak -- the order was determined by a coin toss earlier today. first, let us welcome former governor, and the former chairman of the democratic national committee, tim kaine. [applause]

and next week will come former governor and former senator, george allen. [applause] -- next we will welcome former governor and former senator, george allen. [applause] >> thank you. it is great to be back with the fairfax chamber of commerce. reminds me of a similar event several years ago. we talk about transportation. and right out of this building, there was not really is being built. i was proud to work with you on those as my time as governor. we talked about education. during my time as governor, we put in place a bond package to

expand george mason and community colleges. we talked mostly at the chamber about economic development. in my time as governor, we landed hilton, and others. we also won accolades as the best state for business every year of my four years as governor. i am proud of those accomplishments. i am proud that we did them together. northern virginia, richmond, public, private. but i am especially proud that we did them and missed the worst recession since the 1930's and in the midst of a fiscal collapse. today, we are here today because we have got to fix congress. to end gridlock that is blocking progress two important goals. we have got to grow an economy geared to do it, we level the playing field for small business. we invest in infrastructure

projects like real to dulles. and we win the talent race that will enable us to educate, innovate and come up with a new alternative energy industry of tomorrow. got to fix the budget. to do that, when a balanced approach in both the short and long term. we will talk, i hope, about that sequester challenge. the most important thing we have to do is put partnership over partisanship and substance over sound bites. our ideas are not the problem. it is our willingness not to work together. if i have the honor to work as senator, i will work to do that. thank you. >> thank you, governor. george allen. >> it is good to be with so many friends from the fairfax chamber. i remember all of the accomplishments we have had. whether it is convincing businesses to locate and create jobs here in fairfax or reforming and investing in our schools and colleges. and working with leaders in both

parties to secure funding for key projects like dulles rail. i am grateful for that spirit of partnership your but also want to thank tim kane, we both love virginia. and have worked really hard to make it better. and at a time when so many people in our country feel that our country is on the wrong track and politics are so petty, i hope we can have a positive conversation here today that will inspire people to the ideas and the opportunity that will build a better future. susan and i have talked to tens of thousands of virginians. it still believe in the american the one to make sure they and their children have access to quality and affordable education so that young people can pursue their dreams. they want to unleash the enormous potential of the plethora of our energy sources. they want to reinvigorate the entrepreneurial policies with reasonable regulations so the job creators have the confidence and certainty to hire

again. they want to work together for real solutions. what they do not want to know is politicians and injuring hundreds of thousands of jobs in northern virginia, technology and defense jobs, and using them as pawns to a demand higher taxes or a budget deal. now, these are tough times, but out of adversity, we can create a more confident, caring, and prosperous america, and that is a positive agenda i will forward to discussing today, and the ida is what is best for the virginia businesses. >> governors, thanks to both of you. this is a high-profile senate race for the nation, certainly very important for the commonwealth, and it is also occurring in the shadow of the presidential debate, so i want to ask you about 47% we heard about this week.

governor romney in summer marks at a fundraiser taped earlier this year talked about how there is some 47% of the people that do not pay federal income tax. he said that he believes they are -- that they feel they are victims, that the government needs to take care of them, and that they are entitled to housing, you name it. part of that 47 percent said. what would you do about that? do you think that should change? and what do you think, generally, about too many virginians, too many americans being too dependent on government? >> you can say something off of the gulf that you regret. i disagree with what mitt romney's said. it is condescending and divisive.

the last thing we need to do at this moment is divide people, one against each other. this nation is divided and of an alleged apart enough. people need to be brought together. as we talk about these long- term issues, the country's fiscal policy, we have to have shared sacrifice. everyone has to help if we are going to fix these issues. we have got an issue on the table that is immediate, that is going to call upon congress and the president, which is how to deal with these year-and budget cuts. i am a simple and specific idea about how we can come together. we will let the -- i have a simple and specific idea about how to come together. we will that the bush tax cuts expire. we will negotiate with medicare to get better drug prices.

we have to find by year end about $235 billion in savings over 10 years. we can do that in the short term. >> do you believe that everybody in virginia should pay something in federal income tax? >> everyone pays taxes. >> the federal income tax. >> i would be open to the proposal to have some minimum tax level for everyone, but many pay higher taxes than governor romney does. >> the nominee of your party for the presidency, he believes that that 47% believe that they are victims. do you share that vision of america, and what would you do as senator about the 47%?

>> the best idea of what to see someone will do in the future is what they have done in the past. if somebody has a job, taking care of themselves and providing for their family, we have cut taxes and made virginia much more business friendly, adding more than 300,000 net new jobs in the private sector. one of the other successes we had while i was governor was welfare reform. we wanted to lift people out of poverty and towards independence, to have the dignity of a job. i remember here in fairfax county having a press conference, where inova was hiring. we had a press conference, and reporters somewhat insulted a woman and said something to the fact of, what kind of job is this making pizzas? the owner of the franchise said, "how do you think i got where i am?

i started making pizzas." another said, "i think is good for my daughter to see her mother working." that is what we should be aspiring to, making sure that everyone has the opportunity to compete and succeed. we need to have the policies that do not increase taxes on people but decrees them, and tim has got a different point of view, and one is where he was trying to raise taxes on people making as little as -- >> respectfully, i want to get back to my question. it was very specific. he said 47% of americans are too dependent on government and that they see each other as victims. do you think that? >> as i stated in the beginning, david, the best

social program is a job. how do you provide more job opportunities? >> do they see themselves as victims? >> no. i will bring positively at the people. >> you would disagree with governor romney on this point? >> would you disagree with governor romney on this point? >> i have my own point of view. our responsibility as leaders, as public servants, is to make sure that this is a place where everyone has equal opportunity to achieve their american dream. i will expand on this later in our debate, i suppose, but i think you look at the records. who has created more opportunities? i mentioned welfare reform. they were down and out, and they temporarily needed help. even folks who are disabled want to work. that is one of the great

attributes and characteristics. they do not look at themselves as victims. this gives them the opportunity to reach their aspirations and be that role model. >> we will take one minute for rebuttal. >> i do not think the question whether or not mitt romney's statements, you agree with them or not. i think it was very straightforward. they were divisive comments, and we have seen too much divisive politics. there has been an effort to turn our back on the divisive politics of the past. my wife, her dad, as a republican, he integrated public schools. he said it was past time for virginia to have an aristocracy of marriage. that is what he said in a speech. -- yeah has rejected the kind of division that was contained in that speech.

it might have been off the cuff. it might have been a gaffe. some things that -- and do not agree in, and i am glad they do not. let'scome together, and come together in a specific way on the most important issue of the day, resolving the short- term fiscal challenge. >> a perfect segue. to my colleague now. >> defense contractors started to refer to something as the "s" word. sequester. losing some to wonder and thousand defense jobs. there are the defense cuts mandated by the sequestered that starts to take effect on january 2. avoiding those cuts is going to require compromise in a different type of deficit

reduction plan. given all of those virginia jobs at stake, how can you say no to any type of tax and revenue increase, even if it is paired with a greater degree of spending cuts? >> getting our fiscal house in order in washington. i saw this as being another example of washington leaders not making decisions, putting off decisions to yet another commission, which, if it failed, as it did, it would be the responsibility of the federal government, which is national defense, as well as it being what is known to be over 200,000 technology and defense jobs in virginia. what we need to do is repeal or replace obamacare. but will sit trillions in spending, and that is harmful for business. i think we need to cut out and look at where there is redundancy in government. the government accountability

office has put that forward. federal government employees, we have to reward them for cost-saving ideas. in the long term, a balanced budget amendment. tim said in the last debate that this is the right thing to do. now, he has, up with a plan. i will ask you, with your plan, have you done an analysis of the impact of jobs with your plan, and if so, who did the analysis, and what did it show? >> the plan is a compromise, and it is specific, unlike anything i have heard in the last 60 seconds. we have to deal with the sequestered over the next 10 years. let's do three things. george allen voted for tax cuts, and he voted for them to be temporary. the reason was if he made them a permit, you would bust the

deficit. it is time to let those tax cuts expire for those making more than $500,000. if they go back to where they were, we were in belt largest expansion in the history of the united states. fix medicare. allow negotiations for prescription drugs. that will save $240 billion over 10 years, and finally, takeaway subsidies from the big oil companies. they are very profitable, but they do not need our help. what you end up with then is not a $1 trillion problem. you end up with a problem in the $200 billion range. raising the ceiling, a default for the nation. he spoke out against the fairfax chamber and other chambers, and now he is saying,

"wait a minute. we cannot make cuts." when he is running as the guy who wants to make cuts. he has more sides then a rubik cube. >> what your so-called plan would do to jobs. i think you should be taking into account what the impact is on jobs, and our economy, which is a major, major concern. you talked about bob mcdonnell and eric cantor. what they did was pass a measure that would avert these devastating cuts to our national defense and jobs in virginia. what has this than that done? absolutely nothing. they have not passed a budget in 3.5 years. they were part of a committee that you went around campaigning for. you have to start out with what the house passed, and then look at reforming the tax loopholes.

the proposal i have will create more than 500,000 jobs per year, and we have to unleash our american energy resources, and that will create more than 1 million jobs in the country and give money to the federal government without raising taxes. those are positive solutions to improve our lives and our revenue, make our country more secure, and improve people's quality of lives. >> let's move on. >> governor kaine, i am wondering if you could say specifically if you have entertained the idea of getting rid of the deductions for mortgage interest and charitable donations, and if not, what types of deductions would you be willing to eliminate? >> i am glad you asked that. it is the second step in the process. we have to solve the sequester issue before the year end. i have a plan on the table, but that does not end the challenge. we then have the challenge on

the revenue side and on the spending side. i know how to do it on the spending side. as governor, i cut $5 million out of the budget. on the revenue side, i do agree with the proposition, and this is something that george and i have debated about before, and we are essentially in agreement, that the right thing to do about revenue, after we let the tax cuts expire, as i explained, we fill in deductions and exclusions and reduce tax rates. you can do it and make it simpler some businesses and families do not have to have a tax account to figure it out. i think the charitable and home owner deduction policies are very important. it is not about each individual deduction but instead looking at a proposal where there would

be an aggregate total, an aggregate amount of deductions that you can play. the battle of each individual deduction could take congress decades. this is not a unique idea. others have advanced it. having a structure of aggregate total deductions is more likely to work going forward. >> the two separate tax processes we have. i am indicating a freedom to choose a flat tax. i think it would be unfair to take away the mortgage interest deduction and other deductions that people have used to make investment decisions. to all of a sudden change them would be unfair. however, if people want to have a simpler tax code your deductions or no deductions, and they can fill it out on one piece of paper and multiplying it by the rate that it is, let the taxpayers decide.

it is really what hong kong has done, and what they have found is with people choosing the flat tax, many went to be simpler tax. right now, our federal and government imposes a worst in the world 35% on jobs-creating businesses in our country. the average is 25%. i am advocating doing it at 20% because i think america should be better than average. this will lead to 500,000 jobs per year. tim does not have an analysis of his jobs plan. his is one of always trying to increase taxes. lower taxes create more jobs, makes our country more competitive, and it is amazing to me that tim wood raise taxes on people on used cars and raising taxes on people making as little as $17,000 per year will put in jeopardy defense

and technology jobs, and in my view, the men and women of our armed forces should never be used as a bargaining chip. >> as you take a moment to respond, when you talk about eliminating deductions, you would do that for everyone or just high-income earners? >> taking veterans hostage on economic issues, that is exactly the kind of name-calling that we have got too much of in washington. we can debate policies. but that is the kind of name- calling that we have seen too much of in washington, and what is wrong is not going to be fixed with more of that. he was a u.s. senator. he was a senator for six years. during his time in the senate, his fiscal policies turned massive surpluses into massive deficits. it went up every second george

allen was a u.s. senator. he voted to raise the debt ceiling four times and to raise his salary after york times. now, he is trying to look like a conservative, but the actions do not match his words. with respect to the particular questions on deductions, i think the right question will be some aggregate examination of deductions rather than try to fight the entrenched issues, and you can have the amount or percentage of deductions vary by income, with the way the tax code is set up already. >> we are out of time. >> may i have some time to rebut? >> not according to your rules. you'd decided. >> governor allen, virginia

voters are divided on whether they want they want this to stay or go, partly because it is so complex. do you want to completely get rid of the law as it stands and start over on help desk care reform from scratch, or would you favor some other method? >> i will answer the first part and then rebut some of the comments he made. with the debt, it is the spending in washington that has gone up to $54,000 per cent and in spending. tim criticizes the tax cuts we pass. they helped to create 7 million jobs in our country and averted a recession after the devastating attacks on our country on 9/11, so the idea of who is fiscally responsible and who is going to create jobs, i think we will demonstrably improved job opportunities.

now, on the tax law. this is also an impediment. i have heard from small business owners and community hospitals that this is harmful. small businesses do not want to get over 50 employees, and somewhat to make some of their employees part-time, and that will make others have to get jobs part-time. i do think it ought to be repealed and replaced. some provisions are good in it. i think covering children of to age 26 on a parental policy is good, especially since one- third of the kids graduating from college in this weak economy are having to move back home. i think we have to have affordable and portable health savings accounts, where people can take them from job to job. with the northern virginia technology council, some folks have had three jobs before age 30. that is a good idea.

and they ought to be able to band together across state lines and have more competition, more toys, and affordable health care, and i think we ought to allow the states greater flexibility in managing medicaid, and i'd think they will do the more efficiently. >> i will start where george started with the record. they were dealing with time bombs that are still going of today. it was unprecedented in american history. nobody has done that, and nobody has certainly cut taxes while you are trying to wage a war. expanding medicare without paying for it, unprecedented. and to persist in the notion that they should be made permanent when the cbo says they had to be temporary or bust the deficit, it would demonstrate that a second term of george allen would be very similar to the first. the affordable care act.

there have been 43 votes to repeal the affordable care act already, and i think there was a lawsuit that got some attention. e last thing we need to do is spend our time looking in the rearview mirror. we do not need to go back. the uninsured went up by millions, and premiums went up by over 60% when he is there. i am glad to hear george acknowledge some positives about the bill. we need to do more positives, largely around fixing costs. this medicare idea that we put on the table is a way to find cost savings to bring down costs in a way that will help the budget, help seniors, and will not jeopardize the quality of the program. >> there are about 6 million americans who would want to look in the rearview mirror.

that is the no. 2, in effect, a tax increase, many in the middle class, they were failing to get health care pursuant to the individual mandate. that is about 2 million more that was initially said. it take a moment to respond to that. >> this same group of people will have the ability to purchase insurance on health exchanges and have the ability to get free preventive care under medicare or prescription drug discounts under medicare. that same group of people can no longer be discriminated against because they are women and have a pre-existing condition. having a pre-existing condition and denying them coverage. there might be a cause, but there was already in cost. people going to emergency rooms and seeking care and shifting the cost to others. responsibility is not a bad principle.

>> governor, do you want a moment to respond to that? i met a philosophical question. according to the rules, you get one minute. i promise you, i am not making this up. we are taking more time away from you as we debate it. >> bottom line, are you committed to universal coverage, and how do you do this without universal coverage? >> well, here is the thing. there are so many things wrong with this current health-care tax law. in addition to adding $1 trillion in spending, we are taking $700 million out of medicare. that is why seniors are so concerned that they will have access to doctors. there are some that said they will not take any more medicare patients. having these decisions made by medicare doctors and patients, not bureaucracies.

i would make it a reversible tax credit, where people get coverage for major medical procedures, and by having its portable, it means that if somebody moves from job to job, they do not have to worry about a pre-existing condition that they or somebody in their family may have , so the me, that is a positive approach. it puts patients and hospitals and doctors in charge rather than washington. that would be a paradigm shift. the solution is not moving the $700 million from medicare, which is something we have to make solvent. it is in precarious shape. we will be right back, after this. we continue with our discussions. >> governor kaine, whether you think same-sex couples should be issued marriage licenses the same way, marriage equality

under the law. in order for them to be equal, would not all couples have to be allowed to get a marriage license. >> you know, as i get older, i have come to the conclusion that been for equality is never a bad thing. we do not make a mistake when we follow the basic constitutional prescription, that everyone should be entitled to equal protection under the law. my wife is here, and i will say a bad relationship we have had is one that i wish everyone would have, a long-term relationship, where you celebrate the joys, in view mourn the losses -- and you mourn the losses, where you build up memories to sustain you into old age, i think everyone should be able to have that regardless of sexual orientation.

i would like everyone to be able to have that and not have to hide it. i think it should be recognized and even celebrated, and i have taken the position since i have started the campaign that relationships should be treated equally, equally under the law, same responsibilities. i would allow churches as they do today to continue to recognize which relationships and they recognize in the church. whether they title a same-sex relationship, civil union or a marriage, but the test to me is whether the legal rights or responsibilities that someone else has, they should be able to have the same legal responsibilities and rights that i have. >> i just want to pin you down. do you believe in gay marriage, recognizing the institution of marriage being impossible and, indeed, should even be legal

between a man and a man and a woman and a woman? >> it has traditionally been state policy. i would like the state legislatures to make a decision as to whether they would accord this protection -- >> you are not prepared to say -- and when >> let me finish. to me, it is our people treated the same and given the same rights and responsibilities. i think legal equality should be the policy. >> governor, 1.5 minutes. >> i believe marriage should be between one man and one moment, and that is the definition i have supported. i do not believe in discriminating against people because of their sexual preference. this is the way i have operated by senate office, as well. and look at people's

capabilities, their skills, their willingness and being effected. to me, one of the most important things people can do is to make sure people have job opportunities, and we were talking about the health care measure. that health-care measure is a real impediment to jobs. whether you are a small business or a large business, this law is an impediment to you growing your business. i heard from a small-business owner who said her husband works for a company with 300 employees, and they were going to drop insurance. this is very disconcerting. when one talks about what is the best social policy for our country, jobs. jobs is the most important aspect, and i think family is the most important institution in our society, and i think we should be judging people by their character and competence,

not by the color of their skin or by their sexual preferences. >> i want to go back to an issue, which seems to be an issue for republicans, and generally. why do you think you pull much better among men -- among men than women? 14 points. is this a republican party problem? take 30 seconds. >> i think we are going to do very well with men and women, will listen to this, and there couple- are mothers that i have talked to, whether they are married or unmarried, they care about jobs and the economy. if somebody is unmarried and working, or if they are married, they could be working, and they are also caring about the future of their families.

a large percentage of graduates are unemployed or underemployed. i think we will be united behind these constructive ideas and send a message to the world that america is open for business with the right tax and regulatory and energy policies. >> governor kaine, your one- minute rebuttal. >> these are economic issues. the status of a relationship, if someone cannot have their relationship recognized, the inability to get insurance, that is an economic issue, and with respect to women, if you force women to have an ultrasound procedure against their will and paid for it, that is an economic issue. if you deny people the ability to make constitutional choices, even whether or not to purchase contraception, that is an

economic issue. when george allen was in office, he supported an amendment to enable employers to take away contraceptive coverage for their employees. bute are women's issues, they are bigger than that. they are family issues and economic issues, and it is demeaning to the thing that they are little social issues. economy, and we have to make the right decision. directed at a campaign worker, which was an insult that many viewed as an ethnic slur. it still lingers in the minds of some voters. what do you say to those who are still troubled by that comment, how they should give you a second chance, and how did

that comment change you as a candidate and a person? >> i have stated on many occasions that that was a mistake. i apologize for it. he had a hard job to do following me around the commonwealth of virginia. losing is a humbling experience. i did not like losing. sometimes you learn much more from losing than you do from winning. one thing that my father has always taught me, and he was in sports, when you get knocked down, you get back up. whether someone is a woman or a man, they are going to care about jobs and the economy more than anything else, so we are working as hard as we can to make sure this campaign is one that motivates people to constructive, positive ideas, it is not just rhetoric. it is a record i had as governor and as senator.

we were able to work down party lines. we were able to get our economy moving, and with that, the tax cuts, reducing the size of government, over 300,000 net new jobs. tim tried to raise taxes. the members of the general assembly had to work on this. tuition skyrocketed, and over 100,000 jobs were lost in virginia during his four years. those were the approaches. with greater opportunities to control their own destinies. >> i think the biggest question that virginians are wrestling with as they look at this election is a look at a congress that is broken, and it is broken because people will not work together. we do not have a shortage of ideas. what we seem to have a shortage

of is finding common ground and working together. a similar question was raised again to george. i pointed out that, look, we all make mistakes. in public life, we make them in public view. but there was a notion that this young man had to be welcomed into the real virginia. that was the challenging one. we know that a lot of politics in this state over time has been separating people into real virginians or other virginians, and we have seen that this week at the national level, but that sentiment is still out there. we are only going to solve the big problems, balancing the budget, dealing with a new energy future if we work together, and, george, you famously said as you were governor that you enjoyed knocking things down people's throats.

and senator clinton, pushing the of the senate republican campaign committee. some of it may be just sports or competitive rhetoric, but that is not what it is going to take to fix washington. we need more bridge building. we need people who can find common ground. that is the one thing we are missing in congress right now. we have to put people in place who have a demonstrated track do it. >> jim, you pick out certain quotes from me, and let me pick out some of the ones that people have seen about our records. "the washington post," which rarely says anything good about republicans, said this about me.

markedly successful in in the virginia." the virginia education association said our budget was the best they had seen in a number of years. democratic senators, and they support you, tim, they have stated publicly how we have worked together, whether it is health screenings for newborn children or expanding access to broadband, and then when tim was taking office, here is what the newspaper said. quote, "is tim kaine is looking for a role model, the george allen term as governor was one of the most consequential of the 20th-century," and this was not including some of the things we did, like freezing tuition. the u.s. chamber of commerce endorsed me.

>> there have been some reports in recent days suggesting that the u.s. consulate in benghazi may not have had heightened security. do you think this could have been handled better either before or after the attack could -- that at tack? >> i do not know the details, but i am sure the answer to that question is yes. is always something you could have done better. april 2007, there was a shooting at virginia tech, the most significant crime in the history of the state, and i had just landed in japan on a trade mission, and i got on a plane and flew back, and i spent time dealing with the breeding -- grieving said we would put in place a panel of people that have no connection to virginia tech, and we will have them turn it upside down so we can minimize the chance of anything

like that happening again. we can minimize that chance. we found a lot of things that could have been done better. it required us to make significant changes to the mental health laws and to people who were adjudicated for being mentally ill and getting firearms. there were things that have gone wrong, and we fixed them. i am sure there were things that went wrong that led to the death of this wonderful ambassador and others, including a man who was just buried yesterday in winchester, virginia. i am sure there are things that went wrong. what did the administration needs to do is dig into it as deeply as we can, and then it see if we can resolve them so the diplomatic people can keep doing their jobs. >> is this a broader issue in regard to the arab springbrook

-- spring? >> in some regards, yes. let me just take a moment and commend to him, as i am done before, on his leadership after the tragedy on april 16 at virginia tech. that is a time where tim and all americans were united, and we improved the safety of our colleges, so, tim, i commend you once again for that. now, in terms of national security, there are a lot of challenges facing us. there was an uprising in iran several years ago, when people wanted a more free and just society, when i was just hoping they would be on the side of changing that oppression of -- oppressive regime, but they stayed silent. there was when ronald reagan called the soviet union the evil empire.

if iran gets nuclear weapons, that needs to be prevented. you have worries about, particularly in syria, chemical weapons stockpiles. you have the attacks on our consulates in libya and egypt and elsewhere a rumble world. -- around the world. this is why it is a dangerous and so wrong to be playing these political games with our armed services. we need to be strong. we need to have a strong economy and to have a strong national defense, but the last thing that we need is having these devastating cuts to our military readiness. we have to stop these devastating cuts, come together, said the right priorities, and make sure that the men and women that are protecting our safety and freedom and our elections here have the best armament and equipment and making sure we keep those good paying jobs in technology and defense here in virginia and not use them as a

creating businesses. >> governor kaine, one minute. >> let me just go to the last point. nobody is talking about using the military or veterans as pawns. i have never heard that statement by anyone accept -- except george, kind of throwing back at charge that you have to be careful about. i take second to no one in appreciating the service of our folks in active service and in the military. military guardspeople, 15,000 of them deployed in the war on terror. i went to iraq and afghanistan, and i celebrate the fact that all units are home. we have to figure out a way to get to a result port -- point. -- resolve point. again, i have laid out a pretty

the short-term avoid sequester cuts so that we do not harm defense and so we protect the northern virginia economy. this is not about taking anybody prisoner. it is about solving a problem. we have to have some problem solvers. >> i want to give you each one minute to respond to this. the war in afghanistan, one decade plus. our troops are being targeted, by the same troops that we are trying to stand up so we can stand down. governor ella, can we accomplish the mission in withdraw troops if we do not have an afghan army sufficiently stood up? -- governor allen? >> i do not think it is a great idea to have our opponents know when we are leaving. that just does not make sense. well. we are giving them the opportunity to stand up and take control of their destiny.

there will be ways as the troops come home, and they will come home with their heads held high. with the drones and other things, i think there are ways we can monitor the area and terrorist activity, not just with pakistan. what is going on right now is just a reminder that the afghan people need to take control of their own destiny. we have lost a lot of our american treasure, the folks who have sold -- to have served there. if the afghan people do not stand up for themselves, we cannot do it for them. >> i would just start agreement that last part. the u.s. cannot be the guarantor. the mission of the u.s.

presence in afghanistan i think was completed with the death of osama bin laden and the leadership of al qaeda. that is why we went into afghanistan. we did not go into afghanistan to remake civil society. we went in to get osama bin laden and al qaeda. having completed that mission, we are now withdrawing troops. the challenges we have going forward is the nature between afghanistan and pakistan, a nuclear nation with a nuclear arsenal, and the prospect of instability in that region, potentially putting that nuclear arsenal at risk, and i think that has to be part of what we do as part of the drawdown. >> we have reached the park for -- the point for your closing statements. chamber, and i also want to

thank george. we have been competitors for 17 months, both working hard, our families working hard, our team is working hard. and while i will not say the i will take george allen as a warm water on policy, i do remember that outside my district of richmond, i viewed him as a role model, with the vigor with which he campaigned, and a lot of people in our line of work make it look like root canal surgery, and you'll enjoy it, and so do i.. we need a washington that is clearly about results. in the aftermath of the debacle, we got eight bond downgrade, and it was really telling to have the s&p american credit. they did not do the downgrade because they did not like the mechanics of the deal. they downgrade us because they thought too many people in the leadership class were using a

routine vote as leverage over the economy. too many people were playing chicken with each other on capitol hill, rather than looking at the people who were depending on them and trying to do the right thing. we have to fix washington so it is about results. we have to grow the economy. we talked a bit about some strategies. i have a plan that i invite you to check out. leveling the playing field. we have got to find common ground and fix the budget. there is too much division in congress, and that is why it s&p and moody's have said we have got to put some people and they're willing to compromise. the challenges on the table before us right now is this issue of sequestered. -- sequester. i have laid out a pretty simple,

straightforward plan. let the bush tax cuts expire over $500,000. take away on necessary subsidies. then you get a cut, accounting for billions in savings. it is time for specifics. it is time for action. it is time for working together. >> thank you for this opportunity to have debate today. tim, you keep talking about the plan, and we still do not know. if you want to raise taxes on exxonmobil or others, we want to go into the impact. which approach is going to be best for jobs here in our country. i envision a better future. david asked me about who are you targeting in your campaign? there are various percentages. i think about 99% of the folks should be on our side. anybody who uses electricity, anybody who drives a car, anybody who pays taxes, anybody who works for a living or once a job should be on our side. i figured that is about 99% of the people that should be on our side.

with what tim is talking about, it would affect the price of electric v. we would be paid $30 or more when we fill up, and if you like our gas prices, but if you want it more affordable, and i want to allow us in virginia to produce oil and natural gas off our coast and use those royalties for roads and transportation. that would be the first bill that i introduced as your senator. this creates more job opportunities, and whether it is young people or middle-aged folks. many in our country are unemployed or underemployed. i respectfully ask for your support. let them know if they use electricity, drive a car, pay taxes, what a job, or care for -- care about the future for their family, they should come to the george allen's side.

we want to make sure that america is once again the land of opportunity for all to reach their dreams. >> governor, thank you. thanks to both of you. i want to thank that chamber. terrific panel. do not forget, stay with nbc news for continuing coverage of election 2012, and do not forget to vote on november 6. thank you. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] cable satellite corp. 2012]

>> the eighth annual clinton " initiative at p.m. eastern. earlier today nick romney address the meeting. here are his comments. >> good morning. good morning. i want to begin by thanking governor romney for coming here today. this is really important. all of you who were there last

night know if we cannot cooperate over these issues we cannot find it anywhere. this is really important. i thought i would introduce him by giving you an example of one personal experience we had together, when i passed a legislation and signed it to congress, the model for me was a program based in boston called city year, which a lot of you know about. it is a great program. when i left the white house there was discussion about whether americorps would be defunded, the largest affiliate in the united states was city year, and mitt romney was on the board. it took me a letter saying we

should continue this. i called him and i was out of the white house and i said, governor, i love city year. that is what americorps is all about. i hope you will save it. he urged the republican congress to continue to support city year, and they did. i just visited the program in south africa where the youth unemployment rate exceeds 40%, 80% of the volunteers in johannesburg have a job the day they leave city year. it turns out it is good economics and good for the society. all of you should know that, and governor, i thank you for being here. the podium is yours. [applause]

>> thank you, mr. president. i appreciate your kind words and that introduction is very touching. >> if there's one thing we've learned this election season, it's that a few words from bill clinton can do any man a lot of good. [laughter] after that introduction, i guess or two for the bounce. since serving as president here in america, president clinton has devoted himself to lifting the downtrodden around the world. one of the best things that can happen to any cause, to any people, is to have bill clinton as its advocate. that is how needy and neglected initiatives.

here today. i appreciate your willingness to come to us with those messages. as i have watched the astounding impact of this initiative from afar, i have been impressed by the extraordinary power you have derived by harnessing together different people of different backgrounds, and different institutions of different persuasions. you have fashioned partnerships across traditional boundaries -- public and private, for- profit and nonprofit, charitable and commercial. on a smaller scale, i have seen partnerships like this work before. in massachusetts, two social pioneers brought corporations and government and volunteers together to form city year, the model for americorps. i sat with then candidate for

president bill clinton as he investigated the life-changing successes which occurred when young people came together for a year of service, linked in teams with corporate sponsors. then, as the head of the 2002 winter olympic games, i saw again the stunning success than comes when the disparate elements of a community join together in unity, to overcome challenges that had seemed insurmountable before. the initiative has demonstrated the effectiveness of entrepreneurship and social enterprise. we endeavor not only to comfort and assuage the pains of the afflicted, but also to change lives, and change the lives through freedom, free enterprise, through entrepreneurship, and the incomparable dignity associated

with work. free enterprise has done more to bless humanity than any other system, not only because it is the only system that treats a prosperous middle class, but because it is the only system where the individual enjoys the freedom to guide and built his or her life. free enterprise can not only make us better off financially, it can make us better people. ours is a compassionate nation, as you know. you look around the world and we see with during suffering. our hearts break. we make up only 4.5% of the world's population. we donate nearly 1/4 of all foreign aid. americans give more of the money. pastors like rick warren lead mission trips that send thousands of americans around the world bring comfort. american troops, the first on

the scene of a natural disaster. an earthquake strikes, in haiti, care packages come from all over the war, but first from america. not far behind our presidents clinton and bush. too often our passion for charity as a people is tempered by our sense that our aid is not always effected. we see stories and cases where american aid has been diverted to corrupt governments. we wonder why year after year after year of aid and relief seem to never extinguished the suffering. why it persists decade after decade? some of the disappointments are due to our failure to recognize how much the developing world has changed. a lot of the foreign aid efforts we put in place years ago were decide at a time when government development assistance accounted for 75% of the resources flowing to developing nascent sense.

today 82% of the resources that flow to developing nations come from the private sector, not the governmental sector. if somehow foreign aid can leverage that massive investment by the private sector, it may be able to expend the ability to not only care for those suffering, but also to change their lives on a permanent basis. private enterprise is having a greater impact on its own in the developing world. an example, the john deere co. after it developed a suite of farm tools that could be attached to a small tractor. the result has been a good investment for the company and a greater opportunity for african farmers who are able to grow more crops and provide for more plentiful lives of their run.

for american foreign aid to become more effective, it has got to embrace the principles that you see in these global initiatives. the power of partnerships, access to the transformative nature of free enterprise, and it the leverage of the abundant resources that can come from the private sector. i believe there are three legitimate object of our foreign aid in this country. first is to address humanitarian needs. this is the case with petfar, which has given millions help pare it the second is to foster a substantial united states strategic interests, perhaps military, diplomatic come out or economic. the third is one that has to receive more attention at a higher priority in the romney administration. that is a eighth that elevates people and brings about lasting change in communities and

nations. for example, a lot of americans including myself are developed -- are troubled by developments in the middle east. syria has witnessed the killing of tens of thousands of people. the president of egypt is a member of the muslim brotherhood. our ambassador to libya was assassinated in a terrorist attack. iran is moving toward nuclear weapons capability. we somehow feel we are at the mercy of events rather than shaping events. i am asked why? what can we do about it, to lead in the middle east to stability and ease the suffering an anger and hate their and the violence? ernest extremism is part of a problem. that is not the whole story. the population of the middle east is very young, particularly in comparison to the population of the developed nations. typically be young people --

these young people do not have a lot of job prospects for the levels of youth unemployment across the region are excessive and chronic. the nations that have undergone a change in leadership recently, young people have greater access to information, and in the past that was being carefully guarded by tyrants and dictators. now it is available. they see that good as well as the bad in surrounding societies. they can now organized across pass regents, mobilizing populations. accumulated by poverty and crushed by government frustration, their frustration and anger grocery in such a setting, for americans to change lives, change communities and nations in the middle east, foreign aid must play a role, and the shape that role should play was brought under focus but

the life and death of men of tunisia, that vendor, who sparked the arabs ring. he was just 26 years old. he provided for his family since he was a young boy. he worked his small first stand selling to passersby. the regular harassment by bureaucrats was elevated when they took cases of his fruit and then they took away his scales away from him again. on the day of his final protest, witnesses say an officer slapped him, and he cried out with these words, "why are you doing this to me? i am a simple person. i just want to work. i just want to work. work."

that has to be at the heart of our effort to create jobs, young and old alike, and work builds self-esteem. it transforms mines from fantasy to reality and grounding. work is not long tolerate corruption, nor will it quietly endured a brazen theft by government of the product of hard-working men and women. to foster work and enterprise in the middle east and other developing countries, i will initiate something i call prosperity pacts, working with the private sector. it will identify the barriers to investment and trade and entrepreneurship in developing nations. in exchange, all the nations will proceed u.s. assistance package is focused on developing the institutions of liberty, rule of law, and property

rights. we will focus efforts on small and medium-sized businesses. micro finance has been a tool in promoting enterprise, but we have to expand the small- and medium-sized business as well that are too small for traditional banking. the aim of a much larger share of our aid must be the promotion of work and the fostering of free enterprise. nothing we can do as a nation will change lives and nation's more effectively and permanently than sharing the insights that lies at the foundation of america's on the economy. that is that free people pursuing japanese in their own ways build a -- -- pursuing happiness in their own ways. i traveled to a number of countries and was struck by the vast difference of wealth in nations that were sometimes

neighbors. some of that was due to geography. rich countries often have natural resources like mineral deposits or access to waterways. in some cases all that seemed to separate a rich country from a more or one was a faint line on the map. in some cases they were economically world apart. you can think of north and south korea. i became convinced of the critical difference between these countries was not your profit. i noticed the most successful countries shared something in common. they were the freest. they protect the rights of individuals. they enforced rule law. they encouraged trade and enterprise. they understood economic freedom is the only force in history that has consistently lifted people out of poverty and kept people out of poverty. a temporary aid package can get an economy a boost.

it can fund projects that can pay some bills, employs some people for a time, but it cannot sustain an economy for the long term. it cannot pull the whole court because at some point the money runs out. but an assistance program that helps unleased free enterprise can create enduring prosperity. free at a price is based on mutual exchange, millions of people buying, trading, building, investing. it has its ups and downs root it is not perfect. it is more reliable and more durable, and ultimately history has shown it is more successful. by the way, perhaps the best example of the good that free enterprise can do is by looking at the example of the developed world itself. my friend arthur burks at the american enterprise institute is as pointed out before 1800 living standards in the west or

appalling. a person born in the 18th century lived as his great- great-grandfather had. life was overwhelmed with disease and danger and early death. starting in 1800 the west began two centuries of free enterprise and trade. living standards rose, literacy spread, help improve credit in our own country between 1820 and 1998 real per-capita gdp increased 22 fold. as the most prosperous nation, it is our duty to keep the engine of prosperity running. to open markets across the globe at a spread prosperity. we should do it because it is the right moral course is also economically the smart thing for us to do. in our export industry, the typical job pays more than what

jobs in comparable industries make. we have lost over 500,000 manufacturing jobs over the last four years. as president i will reverse that trend by ensuring we have trade that works for america. i want to negotiate new trade agreements and ask congress to promote trade negotiating authority, to expand the transpacific partnership and what i call the reagan economic zone, where any nation can participate in a new community committed to free and fair trade. i have laid out a new approach for a new era. we will couple prayed with trade and private investment and partnerships to empower individuals, and courage innovators, and reward entrepreneurs. we should not forget and cannot

forget that not far from here a voice of unspeakable evil and hatred has spoken out, threatening israel and the entire civilized world. we come together knowing that the bitterness of hate is no match for the strength of love. in the weeks ahead, i will speak to these challenges and opportunities this moment presents us. i will go beyond for assistance and describe what i believe our strategy should be to secure our interests and ideals in this uncertain time. a year from now, i hope to return to this meeting as president, having made substantial progress toward achieving reforms i have outlined. i hope to remind the board of the goodness and the bigness of the american heart. i will never apologize for america. i believe america has been one of the greatest forces for good the world has ever known. it can holdback knowledge in our

hearts with humility. got us you and this great work, and got us my country and yours. thank you so very much. it has been an honor to be with you. [applause] >> taking you back live now to be york city, the eighth annual clinton global initiative meeting. president obama is calling to speak to the group in a couple of minutes. part of this morning's "washington journal."

host: let's start with money this morning trade united nations budget for its operations for 2012, 2013, breaks down like this. let's look at peacekeeping efforts for the u.n., a separate budget. $7.2 billion for 2012-2013. the united states makes up 27% of that money. this is from the united nations

website. also, global solutions.org and orders. -- reuters. we want to get your take on the u.n. and global affairs. what do you think its role is? we'll start with headlines for today's you and speeches. obama kicks off around noon. mitt romney's speech will be at 9:00 a.m. time. here is "the baltimore sun" headline today --

such as the organization of islamic corp. and leaders like the turkish prime minister, the egyptian president, and the iranian president. we want to get were taken on the role of the u.n. and global force affairs. patrick is first in pennsylvania, a democrat. good morning. caller: good morning.

i think the role of the u.n. has become a better light -- utterly faster diced -- bastardized by the influence of the united states. you have to go to the mideast section of the u.s. state department and you see an entirely israeli presence in the state department. degrasse of net and out to -- photographs of netanyahu -- >> how do you know that?

>> this is from "the wall street journal" this morning. --s as mr. obama's aids

the president has come under criticism from the gop for not scheduling a meeting with benjamin netanyahu in new york this week. here is the picture inside the : new york post" meeting with the ladies meeting from " bellview." caller: i think everybody should get out of the u.n.. why try to pacify them?

italy, germany, the united states cannot get out of there and get them out of our country. i am tired of supporting them. the u.n. is way out of hand since its start. this is not the united nations. it is the united nations of a with people coming in here and doing this. host: you bring up the history of the u.n.

host: what do you think? caller: at the time it was a good thing, but they did not count on the rise of communism from china and russia. the muslims are a big problem right now and we should try to stop pacifying that. they use any excuse to attack this country, and we have a president that seems to sit there and watch it. he should have been at the united nations today condemning them. host: are you going to listen to his speech at noon today? caller: i will record it. all they have been doing is apologizing. they killed two soldiers in

afghanistan. he apologized for them. the first statement coming out of the and missing over there when it was attacked, the hate speech is no good. let's get real. these people hate us. why do we go to the united day since to get condemned by of them? --t: here's a comment host: paris "the washington post -- here is "the washington post" front-page -- next to that, in the speech

yesterday, he said israel is trying to push washington brown pick next to that, palestinians modest bid this year. ahmadinejad is requesting an update to der u.n. status. -- their u.n. status. here is that headline and "the washington post" -- we're taking your questions and comments on this this morning. the role of the united nations. president obama will give his

speech to the general assembly today in new york. that coverage begins around 10:00 in the morning, and you can tune into c-span to hit remarks. mitt romney will be speaking around 9:00 a.m. this morning, and we will have coverage of that on c-span. in other headlines, i want to show you a few of those. reading scores on the s.a.t. scores for the class of 2012 reached a four-decade low.

this is a story that is in many of the papers this morning about s.a.t. scores in this country. other headlines for you this morning about politics. this is about the misery senate race. his -- here is "the washington times" story this morning -- back to our topic, the role of the united nations in global affairs. "the pittsburgh post-it is t

-- post-gazette" -- caller: it seems like most americans do not know very much about the middle east and at hatefully toward these people. they do not even know what they did or how business affected them and created the situation we are in now. it is not they just hate us out of a blue. host: what does that mean for the role of the u.n.? it was formed to create peace. we can watch as it happens, " but everything cannot be perfect, but to disband at, to

get rid of our forum for speaking to each other, is ridiculous. host: can you point to some success? caller: i know there are, but i do not have that is. host: you'd think there have been successes in the past? caller: of course there have been. there is hope for a peaceful solution to almost anything. we have avoided much more hardships by having the u.n. and we are better off with it. host: john in texas. caller: it would be crazy to get out of the u.n.. it tends to do a lot more good, although it has been in many

wars. our main problem is we have is cheryl as 400 nuclear devices given to them by us. that is our major problem with the world. thank you. host: ronald, an independent. caller: the gentleman prior stole my thunder when he said americans do not know history. if they knew the history of iran, then maybe they would not be so fast to condemn them as being down on terrorism, what ever you want. it is important that people find out what happens and -- it

because they disregard history. as far as the u.n. is concerned. it is a good thing, it is just that they do not prevent enough. they cannot prevent enough because they do not have the political backing. doing. it's doing good on a peacekeeping side but on the prevention side needs a lot of help. host: what did you make of the u.n. efforts to try to go into syria earlier this year, to have a special envoy there to negotiate peace? caller: regarding syria, that is a hard nut to crack because i don't know enough about it from independent sources.

i just cannot go by the current media, because a lot of times they seem to be biased on the u.s. side. host: here's the wall street journal this morning --

so that the latest on syria, the topic expected to be part of president obama's speech today. live coverage of c-span on that around 10:00 a.m. eastern. springfield gardens, independent, ronald, good morning. caller: let me make a short comment. i do see a lot of this type of reporting in the newspaper. the problem is, without some kind of statement from the

average percent -- and it would -- average person, an d it wod it would be hard to figure out, but from an average person from both sides, to understand what's going on. basically, we only get one side, for what i can see. thank you. host: how word in new jersey, democratic caller. thanks for c-span. in reference to the previous person who said they hate us, that terminology being used, the general population's don't have hate for america. there are extremist groups who have done terrible things to america. i don't think the people of any country in the world that the majority of the people -- majority of the people hate us.

host: what does that mean for the role of the un? caller: the role of the un has been diminished, unfortunately. that is unfortunate, because it was one of the greatest things ever created. every country getting together under one roof to discuss the pros and cons it and have their own input as to what they feel about different things taking place in their country and here in the united states and throughout the world. unfortunately, it has been compromised. it is unfortunate that the bigger countries impose their ideas and the smaller countries do not have an adequate say so to get a decision for consideration. host: you think the more money you put into the organization the more say to you have? caller: yes. the world is a few small powerful people call the shots rather than everybody in the

world has a say so. what they do say it does not get sufficient consideration. >> president obama spoke to the u.n. earlier today, and he is now speaking to the clinton global initiative. live coverage on c-span. ♪ >> thank you. i am violating all protocol today, because if you are an american citizen and you introduce the president, you are supposed to say the president of the united states and shut up. that is its. i just want to make one comment

about this. [laughter] i want to finish that speech i started in charlotte. [cheers] there are two things i want our newer members to note. first of all, the first presidential election we had was in 2008, and then senator obama and senator mccain came up. when the president took office in a very busy time, he would still come here every year. and i think it is in no small measure because he basically started his life as an ngo. that is what he was pictured a community organizer.

then he picked a secretary state who was a walking ngo. 1 so i am very grateful that he made time to give us a speech here today. i am particularly appreciative of what he came here to speak about today. mr. president, the podium is yours, and thanks for coming in again. [applause] >> thank you. thank you so much. thank you. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. appreciate it. please be seated. everybody have a seat. good afternoon, everybody, and to president clinton, thank you for your very kind introduction, although i have to admit i

really did like the speech a few weeks ago a little bit better. [laughter] afterwards, somebody tweeted that somebody needs to make him secretary of explaining things. [laughter] although they did not use the word things. [laughter] president clinton, you are a tireless, passionate advocate on behalf of what is best for our country. you have helped improve and save the lives of millions of people around the world. i am grateful for your french art and your extraordinary leadership, and i think i speak for the entire country when we say that you continue to be a great treasure for all of us. [applause]

as always, i have to thank president clinton for being so understanding which the record- breaking number of countries visited by our secretary of state. [applause] as we have seen in recent days, hillary clinton is a leader of grace and grit, and i believe she will go down as one of the finest secretaries of state in american history, so we are grateful to her. [applause] to the dedicated staff and every organization that has made commitments and touched the lives of hundreds of millions of people, thank you for being an example of what we need more of in the war, especially in

washington, working together to actually solve problems. that is why i am here. as bill manchin, i have come to year i had been president, and i've talked about how we need to create jobs, the importance of development, global health, tulare fight against hiv aids, to growth that leads nations to prosperity. we talked about development and how it has to include women and girls, because by every benchmark, nations that educate their women and girls and up being more successful. -- end up being more successful. today i want to discuss an issue that relate to each of these challenges. it should concern every person, because it is a debasement of our common humanity.

it ought to concern every community, because it tears at our social fabric. it ought to concern every business, because it distorts market. it ought to concern every nation, because it endangers public health and fuels' violence and organized crime. i'm talking about the injustice, the outrage of human trafficking, which must be called by its true name -- modern slavery. i do not use that word slavery lightly pick it evokes one of the most painful chapters in our nation's history. around the world, there is no denying the awful reality. when a man desperate for work finds himself in a factory or on

a fishing boat or a field, working for little or no pay and beaten if he tries risqué, that is slavery. when a woman is locked in a sweat shop or trapped in a home as a domestic servant, alone and abuse, and in capable of leaving, that is slavery. when a little boy is kidnapped, turned into a child soldier, forced to kill or be killed, that is slavery. when a little girl is sold her impoverished family -- carol my -- runs awaye from home and imprisoned in a that is slavery and it has no place in a civilized

world. [applause] as a nation we have long rejected such cruelty. a few days ago we marked the 150th anniversary of a document i have hanging in the oval office, the emancipation proclamation. with the advance of union forces, it brought a new day, that all persons held as slaves would henceforth be forever free. he wrote that promise into our constitution. we spent decades struggling to make it real. we joined with other nations in the universal declaration of human rights so that slavery and the slave trade choppy prohibited in all their forms. a global movement was sparked with the track to the king -- with the trafficking victims protection act roothere at cgi,

you have made impressive commitments in this fight. we're honored to be joined by advocates who have risked their lives to liberate victims and help them recover. this includes men and women of faith who are truly doing the lord's work. evangelicals, the catholic church, international justice missions, and world relief. even individual congregations like passion city church in atlanta. so many young people of faith who decided their conscience compels them to act in the face of injustice. groups like these are answering the bible's call, to seek justice and rescued the oppressed. some of them join us today and we are grateful for your leadership. as president i have made it

clear that we will continue to be a leader in the global movement. we have a strategy, we are shining a spotlight on the dark corners where it persists for it under hillary's leadership, we are reaching out with new partnerships to give countries incentives to meet their responsibilities and calling about when they do not. a renewed sanctions on some of the worst abusers, including north korea and eritrea. were burning -- we are helping other countries stepped up their efforts and we are seeing results. more nations have passed and more are enforcing anti- trafficking laws. i was brought to welcome to the oval office last week a fierce advocate against the use of forced labor and child soldiers.

as part of our engagement, we will and courage burma to take steps to encourage reform, because nations must speak with one voice. our people and children are not for sale. for all the progress we have made, the truth is that trafficking also goes on right here in the united states. it is the migrant worker and able to pay off the debt to his trafficker, the man lord here with a promise of a job, his documents taken here and forced to work endless hours in the kitchen, the teenage girl beaten, forced to walk the streets. this should not be happening in the united states. as president i directed my administration to step up efforts and we have. for the first time, our annual trafficking report now includes the united states, because we

cannot ask other nations to do what we are not doing ourselves. we have expanded our task force to include more federal partners, including the fbi, the intelligence community is devoting more resources to identify networks, which have strengthen protections so workers know their rights. most of all we are going after the traffickers. eams nti-trafficking t are dismantling their networks. we're putting them where they belong, behind bars. but with more than 20 million victims around the world, more than 20 million, we have a lot more to do. that is why this year i directed

my administration to increase efforts, and today i can announce a series of that additional steps we will take. we will do more to spot it and stop it. we will prepare a new assessment of human trafficking in united states so we understand the scope and scale of the problem. we will strengthen training so investigators and law enforcement are better equipped to take action. and treat victims as victims, not as criminals. we will work with amtrak and bus and truck inspectors so they are on the look out. we will help educators spot the signs as well and bettors turf -- better serve those who are vulnerable. where turning the tables on the traffickers. as they are using the internet

to export their victims, we will use to acknowledging -- technology to stop them. we will do more to help victims recover and rebuild their lives. people develop a new plan to improve coordination across the federal government. we will increase access to services to help survivors become self-sufficient. we will work to simplify the set procedures so that innocent victims from other countries can stay here as they help us prosecute traffickers. my office of faith-based partnerships will make the fight against trafficking a focus of its work, and i am proud -- they are doing great work. i am proud to announce a new partnership with humanity united, which is a leader in anti-trafficking. a multi-million dollar challenge

to local communities to find new ways to care for victims. i want to thank johns hopkins university, which will focus on how best care for child victims. finally, as one of the largest purchasers of goods and services in the world, united states government will lead by an example. we have taken steps to make sure our contractors did not engage in forced labor, and we will go further. i have news -- i have signed a new executive order that raises the bar, that is the system -- that is specific about the prohibitions, and we're making clear that american tax dollars must never ever be used to support the trafficking of human beings. we will have zero tolerance. we mean what we say. we will enforce it.

no government can meet this challenge alone. everybody has a responsibility. every nation can take action. moderate anti-trafficking laws must be passed and enforced. dictums must be cared for. in united states congress should renew that trafficking victims protection act. this is a no-brainer. we need to get that down. as nations, let's recommit to addressing the underlying forces that pushed so many into bondage in the first place. with development and economic growth that creates a legitimate jobs, there is less likelihood of indentured servitude around

the globe. a sense of justice that says no child should ever be exported -- that should be byrd into the cultures of every country. a commitment to equality, as in the equal futures partnership we launched with other nations yesterday, so cystitis and power our sisters and daughters -- so countries can power our sisters and daughters. every business can take action. all the business leaders here, companies have irresponsibly to make sure that their supply chains are free of forced labor. the good news is more responsible companies are holding themselves to a higher standard. i want to salute the new commitments that are being made. this includes the new business

global coalition against trafficking. human trafficking is a crime and we will stop it. we are proud of them. every faith community can take action as well. by educating their congregations, by joining in coalitions that are bound by a love of god and the concern for the oppressed. like the good samaritan on the road to jericho, we cannot just pass by in different. we got to be moved by compassion. got to bind up the wounds. we are our brothers' keepers and we are our sisters' keepers. every citizen can take action by learning more, going to the website we help create, slavery

fooprint.org, by standing up against the degradation and abuse of women. that is how real change happens, from the bottom up. if you doubt that, asked marie from the congo. about her story. she was kidnapped by rebels, turned into a slave. she was abused, physically and sexually. they got her pregnant five times. in one awful battle, all five of her children were killed. miraculously, she survived and escaped. with care and support she began to heal, and she learned to read now shee tand dew, and is back home learning a new

future. asked another who grew up in indonesia and at 17 was given the opportunity to work as a nanny, but when she arrived it was a nightmare. cooking, cleaning, 18-hour days, seven days a week. when beating was so bad it sent her to the emergency room. finally she escaped with help from a group that cared and she now has a stable job, and she is an advocate. she has testified before congress. or ask she'll white who grew up in the bronx, fleeing an abusive home. a man sold her when she was 15 years old. men raped her. finally, after years with the help of a non-profit led by other survivors, she found the courage to break free and get

the services she needed. sheila bair earned her ged -- sheila earned her ged. she helped pass an anti- trafficking law here in new york. these women endured unspeakable horror, but in their unbreakable will, in their courage, in their resilience, they remind us the cycle can be broken. victims can become not only survivors, but leaders and advocates and bring about change. i just met some of these women and their advocates, and i have to tell you they are an incredible inspiration. they are here, they have chosen to tell their stories, and i want them to stand and be

recognized because they are inspiring all of us. please. to each of you, in the darkest hours of your lives, you may have felt utterly alone and it seemed like nobody cared. and the important thing for us to understand is there are millions around the world who are feeling that same way this

very moment. right now there is a man on a boat casting the net with his bleeding hands, knowing he deserves a better life, a life of dignity, but does not know if anybody is paying attention. right now there is a woman hunched over a sewing machine, glancing at beyond the bars on the window, knowing that just given the chance she might someday well her own wares, but she does not think anybody is paying attention. another is a boy carrying his lead, thinking if he could just go to school, he might know a different future, but he does not think anybody is paying attention. right now there is a girl somewhere trapped in a brothel crying herself to sleep again, and maybe daring to imagine that some day maybe she might be treated not like a piece of

property, but as a human being. our message to them is to millions around the world, we see you. we hear you. we insist on your dignity, and we share your belief that if just given the chance you will forge a life equal to your talents and worthy of your dreams. [applause] our fight against human trafficking is one of the great human rights causes of our time, and the united states will continue to lead it in partnership with you. the change we seek will not come easy. we can draw strength from the movements of the past. we know every life saved, in the words of that great proclamation, is an act of justice, worthy of the considered judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of almighty god.

that is what we believe. that is what we are fighting for. i am so proud to be in partnership with cgi to make this happen. thank you very much, everybody. god bless you. god bless america. [applause] >> before we announce the new commitment for progress support, i have to say this.

first, i thank all of you for your response to the president's speech. we tried about four years ago to really put an emphasis on this human trafficking issue and what could be done about it. we had a working group with can -- which continues to exist, but the fundamental problem is that a lot of a grass-roots work that is being done to identify the victims, to set up underground railroads of the 21st century, to take them to liberation, is all being done by a lot of do not have money. there are couple of them that are reasonably well funded, and they do that this event work. -- they do a magnificent work. if you believe in what the president said, if you just get

sick inside thinking about it, you need to reconsider whether one of your commitments ought to be to help these ngo's doing this work and are effective insofar as their resources reach. there are some places like haiti that i believe we will cure 90% of the problem if we get all the kids in school. that is why i support a strategy to get all the kids in school and make sure their parents have enough to feed them. i think that system really bilwl die, but most places there is too much money in this, and you have to have the ngo's to continue to puncture their networks and find their way home. if you want to support the objectives that the president has so beautifully laid out, if you really believe in the young women who stood up over here and the people they